Will 2013 be the ‘Year of the LED?’

Release Date: Monday, December 17, 2012

With prices for energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) dropping, LED holiday lights lasting for years, and 32,000 LEDs glowing on the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, 2013 could be the “Year of the LED,” predicts the Alliance.

“We see LEDs grabbing more market share in 2013,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “Their retail prices are coming down, and more U.S. consumers are realizing that their lifespans of up to 25 years make them a good deal.”

IMS Research also projects that starting in mid-2013, market growth for LEDs will skyrocket in North America. And next year, consumers will have even more choices when looking for LEDs, which are now available in 100-watt-equivalents alongside the 40-, 60-, and 75-watt replacements. They are also available in an array of decorative bulbs.

Goodbye Inefficient 75-watt Bulbs

The New Year will also usher in “year two” of the ongoing three-year transition to energy-efficient lighting for the U.S. market. Inefficient 75-watt incandescent bulbs will no longer be manufactured in the U.S., just as inefficient 100-watt incandescents were phased out a year ago.

“As the second phase of the national transition to energy-efficient lighting begins, the Alliance is continuing to work on its own and through the LUMEN Coalition to dispel myths and misinformation and to ‘enlighten’ American consumers about the benefits of today’s lighting products,” Callahan continued.

Options include energy-efficient halogen incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and LEDs. Halogen incandescents use about 30% less energy than inefficient incandescents, while CFLs and LEDs save 75% or more.

Energy Star Options

“As always, we advise looking for the Energy Star label, the government’s symbol of energy efficiency, to ensure that you are getting an energy- and money-saving product,” said Callahan.

Lighting accounts for 10% of home energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The growing array of energy-efficient lighting options allows consumers to cut those expenses by $50 to more than $100 a year, depending on how many inefficient bulbs they replace and which efficient options they choose.